What is it about theories in human sciences and natural science that makes them convincing?

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Introduction

﻿What is it about theories in human sciences and natural science that makes them convincing? Natural science?s collectively study of the physical world and their characteristics, form and function with a strong support of logical reasoning whereas Human sciences deal with social aspects of human settlement, human behavior and various variables that govern and effect the functioning of society and social factors with the strong support of empirical experiences. Natural and the human sciences consists of many theories but not all of them are true but with the advancement in science mostly all these theories are being replaced by the science community with the new ones as they are more detailed and precise than the previous one. For instance, how the Newton?s laws are being taken over by Einstein?s and there are some theories that are built on previous theories thus there is already a gamut of empirical evidence. How far are the theories that govern human sciences and natural sciences objective and self supportive? Theories are generally a collection of ideas which are systematically put together in order to explain a fact or phenomena I strongly believe that while taking into consideration the theories of sciences-human and natural-the first and the foremost factor to be concerned is relevance with respect to time and place. ...read more.

Middle

Some theories are made believe for example Charles Darwin?s renowned ?theory of evolution? which states that the human species has evolved over time from apes. But if we go through the theory we will find many loop holes in them. For example the theory states that evolution from a common ancestor but half a billion years ago where did they come from remarkably but equally there is believed to be a creator who has devised all these primitive species and created the amazing diversity of life. Moreover the only possible way of evolution could be mutation and it is known that mutation is limited in scope and is always random because during the process of mutation the genetic code is either rewritten or destroyed. Thereafter there will only be a new genetic code available and it is impossible to be mutated unless there is living organisms available. Even after all these uncertainties the theory is still being taught in schools and educational establishments. Thus for these children it is more or less a fact and they are convinced that we evolved from apes. Another example of this is the Ptolemaic astronomy theory as it a genuine example of natural science which has now been disapproved even though people believed in it and found it convincing for a long time. ...read more.

Conclusion

But this can lead to a problem, as a statement which is completely baseless can be accepted by the masses to be truth. Similarly Nietzsche quotes that truth is a metaphor fixed by repetitive usage. According to Nietzsche, truth comes from repetition?. But at times even emotion can affect our sense of perception about the truth. As we may not believe some information for the first time but if it?s repeated from many sources we eventually begin to accept it. Moreover it is found that in a test conducted by Hovland and Weiss in 1951 it was found that people believe statement or thoughts of higher reputation or authority. In Straight and Crooked Thinking, R.H. Thouless 1974, p.111 in Nietzsche?s On Truth and Falsity in an Extramoral Sense Reason- absence of this way of knowing, applying this way of knowing and are assuming the rationale/reason behind theories. Advent of media and technology- Knowledge more fluidly available to one and all. More so in the public domain. IB students- inquirers. Sense Perception- observation and lived experience. Experiences are subjective, they vary and differ and sometimes, may not be convincing to those who have not had the same gamut of experience. Language and Emotion - repetition, familiarity, rhetorical power, theories around cultural and ethnic domination, Aryan, American Dream and success Subjective position of the receiver in the audience, political and personal identity ...read more.

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